Osteospermum plant named ‘LAZOST1803’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Osteospermum  plant named ‘LAZOST1803’, characterized by its compact, uniform and mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely and uniformly branching habit; freely and early flowering habit; large single-type inflorescences with white-colored ray florets with a reddish purple-colored central ring; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Osteospermum L. X Dimorphotheca Moench.

Cultivar denomination: ‘LAZOST1803’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR & APPLICANT/ASSIGNEE

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instant plant was filed by the Applicant/Assignee, Lazzeri Genetica S.A.S. di Dallago Franco & C. of Merano, Italy on Oct. 12, 2022, application number 2022/2195. Foreign priority is not claimed to this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum L. X Dimorphotheca Moench, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘LAZOST1803’.

The new Osteospermum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Merano, Italy. The objective of the program is to create and develop new interspecfic Osteospermum plants that are freely and uniformly branching with numerous large inflorescences with unique and attractive ray and disc floret coloration.

The new Osteospermum plant originated from an open-pollination during the summer of 2016 of a proprietary selection of Osteospermum L. X Dimorphotheca Moench identified as code number 13/41-1, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Osteospermum L. X Dimorphotheca Moench as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Osteospermum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Merano, Italy in the spring of 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new Osteospermum plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Merano, Italy since October, 2017 has shown that the unique features of this new Osteospermum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Osteospermum have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘LAZOST1803’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘LAZOST1803’ as a new and distinct Osteospermum plant:

-   -   1. Compact, uniform and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely and uniformly branching habit.     -   4. Freely and early flowering habit.     -   5. Large single-type inflorescences with white-colored ray         florets with a reddish purple-colored central ring.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in ray floret color as ray florets of plants of the new Osteospermum are white in color with a reddish purple-colored central ring whereas ray florets of plants of the female parent selection are white in color without a distinctly-colored central ring. In addition, plants of the new Osteospermum root about one week earlier than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can be compared to plants of the Osteospermum ecklonis ‘FlowerPower White ‘22’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Osteospermum differ primarily from plants of ‘FlowerPower White ‘22’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Osteospermum root about one week earlier         than plants of ‘FlowerPower White ‘22’.     -   2. Plants of the new Osteospermum are more freely branching than         plants of ‘FlowerPower White ‘22’.     -   3. Plants of the new Osteospermum flower earlier than plants of         ‘FlowerPower White ‘22’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Osteospermum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Osteospermum plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet (FIG. 1 ) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘LAZOST1803’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet (FIG. 2 ) is a close-up view of a typical opening inflorescence, open inflorescence and leaves of ‘LAZOST1803’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the summer in 14-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Merano, Italy and under cultural practices typical of commercial Osteospermum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 22° C., night temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 18° C. and light levels averaged 3,000 lux. Plants were pinched one time and plants were 16 weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Osteospermum L. X Dimorphotheca Moench     ‘LAZOST1803’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Osteospermum L. X Dimorphotheca Moench identified as code             number 13/41-1, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of             Osteospermum L. X Dimorphotheca Moench, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven days at             temperatures about 22° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About ten days at             temperatures about 20° C. to 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, summer.—About 21 days at             temperatures about 22° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, winter.—About 25 days at             temperatures about 20° C. to 22° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate             temperature and age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density             to dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Compact, uniform and mounding             plant habit; freely branching habit, dense and bushy growth             habit; moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate growth             rate.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 22             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 26             cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 15 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: Freely branching             habit, about five to six primary lateral branches each with             about three to four secondary lateral branches developing             per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch development.             Length: About 8 cm to 10 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Internode             length: About 2.5 cm. Strength: Strong, sturdy. Aspect:             About 45° from vertical. Texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; matte. Color, developing: Close to 137D. Color,             developed: Close to 138B; at the internodes, close to 139C.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple; sessile.             Length: About 4.5 cm to 5 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm to 2 cm.             Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Slightly lobed with shallow and divergent sinuses. Texture             and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; rugose; glossy.             Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; rugose;             matte. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 143B. Fully expanded             leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C; venation, close to             143C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137D;             venation, close to 146D. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance and aspect.—Terminal and axillary inflorescences;             inflorescences positioned beyond the foliar plane on strong             peduncles and face mostly upright to slightly outwardly;             single-type inflorescence form with lanceolate-shaped ray             florets and tubular disc florets; ray and disc florets             developing acropetally on a capitulum.         -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit; about 25 to 30             developing and open inflorescences per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering response.—Early flowering habit; in Italy, plants             of the new Osteospermum begin flowering in March/April and             flower continuously until first frost in the autumn;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About             5 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;             rugose; matte. Color: Close to 137D.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 6.5 cm to 7 cm. Depth             (height): About 1.5 cm. Disc diameter: About 1 cm.             Receptacle diameter: About 5 mm. Receptacle height: About             5 mm. Receptacle color: Close to 137D.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence and arrangement:             About 22 to 25 arranged in one to two whorls. Length: About             2.5 cm to 3 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape: Roughly             lanceolate. Apex: Acute to obtuse. Base: Cuneate. Margin:             Entire; not undulate. Aspect: Mostly flat. Texture and             luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly             glossy. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface:             Close to 155D; towards the base, close to 61A; venation,             close to 155D and 61A; main color becoming closer to 155C             with subsequent development. When opening and fully opened,             lower surface: Close to 76A; venation, close to 76A; color             becoming closer to 76B with subsequent development.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence and arrangement:             About 35 to 40 arranged in numerous whorls. Length: About             5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Shape: Tubular with five pointed             apices. Apex: Dentate. Aspect: Upright. Texture and luster:             Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy to matte. Color, inner and             outer surfaces: Close to 156A.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence and arrangement:             About 12 to 14 arranged in a single whorl. Length: About 6             mm to 8 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:             Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; rugose; matte.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 139C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.8 cm to 2.5 cm. Diameter: About             5 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to outwardly             slanting. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte.             Color: Close to 139A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Filament length: About 4 mm. Filament color: Close to             156A. Anther size: About 1 mm by 1 mm. Anther shape: Round.             Anther color: Close to 103B. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen             color: Close to 17B. Gynoecium: Present on ray florets only.             Pistil length: About 3 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma             diameter: About 1 mm. Style length: About 1 mm. Style color:             Close to 156A.         -   Fruits and seeds.—To date, fruit and seed development has             not been observed on plants of the new Osteospermum. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have been     observed to be resistant to Thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis).     Plants of the new Osteospermum have not been observed to be     resistant to pathogens and other pests common to Osteospermum     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have been     observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind     and temperatures ranging from about 8° C. to about 35° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Osteospermum plant named ‘LAZOST1803’ as illustrated and described. 